T-10

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T-10
T-10M heavy tank

T-10M heavy tank
General properties
crew 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
length 9.87 m
10.6 m ( T-10M )
width 3.56 m
height 2.43 m
Dimensions 52 t
Armor and armament
Armor 20-250 mm
Main armament 122 mm D-25TA
T-10M :
122 mm M-62-T2
30 rounds
Secondary armament 1 × 12.7 mm MG DSchK coaxial; 1 × 12.7 mm machine gun DSchK as anti-aircraft machine gun on the rotating ring mount of the
T-10M gunner hatch :
2 × 14.5 mm machine guns KPW
1000 rounds
agility
drive V-12 diesel engine W-12-5 with 38.88 l displacement
700 PS (515 kW)
Top speed 42 km / h
Power / weight 10.04 kW / t
Range 250 km

The T-10 was the last heavy tank in traditional terminology to be made in the Soviet Union .

history

The long line of Soviet heavy tanks that began with the KW series in 1939 ended with the T-10 . The KW series went over to the IS series in 1943 , the last prototype of which, the IS-10 , named T-10, was produced as the last heavy tank in the Soviet Union and introduced to the Soviet Army from 1953.

Initially, the T-10 were delivered to normal tank divisions, later they were assigned to separate heavy tank units that could be sent to support the divisions if necessary.

In the 1960s, the modern concept of the main battle tank was developed in the Soviet Union, which largely eliminated the separation between the concepts of light, medium and heavy battle tanks in favor of an all-purpose tank. With the introduction of the T-64 , which had a similar level of protection and a better main weapon than the T-10 while being lighter, the heavy tanks were decommissioned. New developments such as the Object 770 with a 130 mm cannon were discontinued in 1966. At the same time, the production of the T-10 was ended in favor of the lighter vehicles.

During the Six Day War it became clear that “the days of the heavy tanks were numbered”.

With the introduction of the T-64, which was superior to the T-10 in every respect, the heavy tank battalions were disbanded at the beginning of the 1970s and the T-10M was also taken out of active service. They remained in the reserve units until around 1993.

construction

The T-10 was produced or modernized in versions -A, -B and -M. From 1957, the T-10M entered the army, and around 3000 units were built by 1966.

The T-10 had a support roller drive with 7 rollers and three support rollers per side. The tub shape with the sloping, bullet-repellent nose plate corresponded to that of the IS-3, but the T-10 was wider and longer. The engine was an improved version of the W-2IS already used in the IS-3 and developed 700 hp (515 kW), but the T-10 had better armor. The T-10 was significantly slower compared to lighter Soviet main battle tanks like the T-54 , T-55 or T-62 . In the T-10M (Object 272) the W-12-6B with 750 HP was used, in the T-10M (Object 734) the W-12-6 with 750 HP.

The 122 mm D-25T cannon was taken over from the previous models and provided with a smoke evacuator. It fired two-part cartridge ammunition, which meant that the rate of fire was very low. Initially, the T-10 only had HE shells and tank shells (penetration rate: 185 mm RHA at 1000 m) until 1967, when sub-caliber shells and shaped charge grenades (penetration rate: 400 mm RHA) were introduced.

In addition to the new 122 mm tank cannon of the type M62T2, the T-10M also had an IR searchlight and a stabilized IR aiming light, which made it suitable for night combat. Instead of the 12.7 mm MGs, 14.5 mm MGs KPWT were scaffolded. There was also an NBC protection system and underwater driving equipment.

Model variants

  • T-10 - (1952), engine W-12-5
  • T-10A - (1956) with newly developed weapon stabilization system (one axis), engine W-12-5
  • T-10B - (1957) new weapon stabilization (two axes), engine W-12-5
  • T-10M - (1957) improved cannon M-62-T2 L / 43 with muzzle brake , two-axis weapon stabilization, newer MGs KPWT , NBC protection system , night vision devices , engine W-12-6 (750 HP)

Web links

Commons : T-10  - Collection of Images

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f g A. W. Karpenko: Soviet-Russian tanks . 1905-2003. Elbe-Dnjepr, Klitzschen 2004, ISBN 3-933395-44-5 , p. 427–432 (Russian: Обозрение отечественной бронетанковой техники (1905–1995 гг.) . Translated by R. Meier).
  2. ↑ a b c d e Christopher F. Foss : Tanks and other combat vehicles from 1916 to today . Buch und Zeit Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne 1977 (special edition 1985).
  3. ↑ Stephen 'Cookie' Sewell: Why Three Tanks? , Armor, Issue 108, Number 4, July / August 1998, Fort Knox, p. 21
  4. ^ Bryan Perrett: Soviet Armor Since 1945 . Blandford Press, London 1987, ISBN 0-7137-1735-1 (English).